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Topic Review (Newest First)

11-11-2013 11:57 AM

Rusty123

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

I've been very happy with these, coupled with FTZ heat shrink terminals.

Well that makes buying these tools kind of a crap shoot. Like you, I enjoy fine tools and view them as a lifetime investment and doing the job right the first time, but I don't enjoy buying several of the same tool because what worked great, suddenly doesn't.

Such is the state of the tool industry these days. I just recently purchased a Porter Cable 18V cordless drill and impact driver. PC USED to be known for QUALITY tools. This LiIon set is WORSE quality than my Ryobi set, and utter JOKE....... On the other hand my M-12 Milwaukee stuff has been literally bomb proof.....

Fein, Festool, Snap-On, Fluke, MAC Tools, AMP and some others don't skimp on quality but today it seems everyone else is in a race for the bottom so you need to pick and choose carefully.

Heck for some tools I use Harbor Freight and for others only the best will do. If I am making a plunge cut into a $200.00 piece of teak you can bet I am using only my Fein. You could not pay me to do that with my HFT, Dremel or Milwaukee multi-tools...

It all depends on what I am using the tool for. I have no need for using my Snap-On wrenches on boats when my $8.99 set from Harbor Freight works very well on 98% of the jobs I need a wrench for. Also when I drop one into the pond I can shrug it off and not worry about that expense.

Tool quality, as a necessity, is entirely dependent upon what you are doing with it. Electrical stuff is pretty critical work but the reality is that a mid-grade tool can suffice for most owners..... For me doing this every day mid-grade crimp tools only suffice for crimps I make in-frequently. The mid-grade tools tend to wear out faster and lose calibration faster. My AMP tools have literally made thousands and thousands and thousands of crimps and the calibration has not budged.

I have thrown away two cheap crimp frames in the last year that became sloppy. It happens. They were used in-frequently for BNC or other odd ball crimps but I still wore them out. It is cheaper for me to toss them out and buy another, in some cases. With a red, blue & yellow tool this would likely mean bi-yearly replacements so the AMP's, to me, represent a tremendous value. For a DIY a mid grade frame might last a lifetime... I order my terminals in 100 - 500 quantities, per size, terminal, ring etc.... Most DIY's won't go through 500 crimp terminals in a lifetime..

Remember the tools in that review are NOT premium grade tools they are mid-level tools. If I had suggested everyone buy a professional grade tool I would have been hung and dried.....

For now I think the Pro's Kit stuff represents a tremendous value for the DIY..... Heck for odd ball stuff I use a lot of Pro's Kit. Some dies are great and others are only okay but overall, for the price, it is tough to beat...

11-01-2013 09:27 AM

BubbleheadMd

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

Well that makes buying these tools kind of a crap shoot. Like you, I enjoy fine tools and view them as a lifetime investment and doing the job right the first time, but I don't enjoy buying several of the same tool because what worked great, suddenly doesn't.

11-01-2013 09:21 AM

Maine Sail

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

If you're a clever online shopper, you can find some of the best crimpers at very low prices. It hardly makes sense to cut corners when you can buy the #2 rated crimper on Maine Sail's review for only $57.00, red/blue/yellow crimping die included.

The earlier models were actually pretty decent, the ones I tested. I suspect Ancor changed vendors, they tend to do this to cut costs, and the most recent one I tested (same model) is not the same as the older model I have. I think this makes the Pro's Kit tool a better value....

Again what ever tool you guy you will NEED to test it with the terminals you use. Once you find terminals that work well in the tool, stick with them. Yes the older Ancor was a good value. Not so sure about current inventory....

11-01-2013 08:50 AM

BubbleheadMd

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

If you're a clever online shopper, you can find some of the best crimpers at very low prices. It hardly makes sense to cut corners when you can buy the #2 rated crimper on Maine Sail's review for only $57.00, red/blue/yellow crimping die included.

With these frames you then choose which dies you want. With one or two frames you can crimp just about anything.

Most crimp frames these days are coming from Taiwan or China and even frames costing 8X as much are not much better and are often the exact same tool.. Dies do and can vary and the Pro's Kit dies are "decent" but not exceptional. The key is they are inexpensive so you can build your crimp tool arsenal easily and it's affordable..

I use some Pro's Kit dies and some of them are really very good quality. Some of them I have purchased, but don't use. It is hit or miss.

The Solar MC-4 die for example is beautifully machined and makes a crimp equally comparable to $800.00 MC-4 crimp tools....

11-01-2013 07:59 AM

wind_magic

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Seeing as you said "best" here's my picks... I will assume red, blue & yellow insulated but not heat shrink?

For me it is AMP PIDG terminals and an AMP 59250 for red and blue terminals and then an AMP 59239-4 for the yellow terminals.

There are other similar crimp tools to these but these are the tools used in the aerospace industry and certified for that use when used with the AMP PIDG terminals. When properly used with AMP PIDG terminals the crimps made are simply beautiful, robust and do not over or under crimp the wire. They certainly can be used with off brand terminals but do be sure they are a copy of an AMP PIDG three piece terminal.

What ever crimp tool you get:

*Pick your terminals and stick to that brand

*Test each size wire in each size terminal to be sure it is making a suitable crimp

There is a LOT of variability in red, blue, yellow crimp tools....

MaineSail, thank you for the response and the great information people provided links to earlier, that was all very helpful.

Do you have an opinion of the Ancor 701030 ?

Edit, I'm not sure yet about heat shrink.

11-01-2013 07:53 AM

Maine Sail

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by wind_magic

Title says it all, what is your pick for best crimping tool for red, blue, and yellow rings, spades, etc ?

Seeing as you said "best" here's my picks... I will assume red, blue & yellow insulated but not heat shrink?

For me it is AMP PIDG terminals and an AMP 59250 for red and blue terminals and then an AMP 59239-4 for the yellow terminals.

There are other similar crimp tools to these but these are the tools used in the aerospace industry and certified for that use when used with the AMP PIDG terminals. When properly used with AMP PIDG terminals the crimps made are simply beautiful, robust and do not over or under crimp the wire. They certainly can be used with off brand terminals but do be sure they are a copy of an AMP PIDG three piece terminal.

What ever crimp tool you get:

*Pick your terminals and stick to that brand

*Test each size wire in each size terminal to be sure it is making a suitable crimp

There is a LOT of variability in red, blue, yellow crimp tools....

11-01-2013 07:16 AM

Minnewaska

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

I keep the Anchor Single Crimp Rachet tool aboard for the occasional repair or install. As MaineSail identifies, its a good example of a decent crimper. None of the fatal flaws, but maybe not as high end if you were crimping for a living. Excellent price-functionality value.

I like the rachet a lot. You just squeeze until it lets go and it is typically perfect every time. You CAN overcrimp a connector, but the rachet will prevent it, unless you keep on going. I also like that the rachet can be squeezed down lightly on the connector to act as a holder, while you get positioned. Trying to hold a wire, crimper and connector, all at the same time in a tight space, can be tough. Effectively, the crimper will not release until it squeezes to the point it should have made a good connection, if you have the right connector on the correct crimp spot. They are color coded, so its hard to mess up. You can stop and restart anywhere along that curve.

10-31-2013 08:17 PM

desert rat

Re: Your Pick for Best Crimpers

The best crimpers will have parallel closing jaws like glass pliers. They are overkill.

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